Organize that Speech Room {Student Data}

So the Periscopers voted! You wanted to hear about student data. This is a pretty dense blog post, but I think it'll be helpful--especially if you're not sure where to start or if you're unhappy with how you're currently taking data.


There are hundreds (maybe even thousands?!) of unique ways to collect data. I've struggled to find the "best" data collection system for my caseload. Let me tell you, I have tried a number of different "systems."

In order to help YOU decide which system you might like to try, I'm doing a round-up of a handful of different data collection tools. First, I'll have a list of things to consider. Then, I'll tell you about three broad "categories" of data sheets. I will briefly touch on how you can organize your data, share a handful of tips and tricks, and close with a peek at my own data binders. Let's hop to it!

Oh and before we dive in--if you have a system you love, please tell us about it in the comments!


Before you pick a system, ask yourself...

• Do I want data sheets for individual students? Do I want multiple students on one page?
• Do I want my students' goals on each data sheet? What other information do I need?
• What type of data am I tracking (percentages, trials, rating scales, checklists, narrative)?
• Do I need graphs?
• Do I want a "paper and pencil" system? Or an electronic system? Or both?
• How will I store my data?
• Will my students be involved in tracking data?

{1} Individual Data Sheets
This seems to be a popular option! There are SO many different data sheets out there. Here are a few free ones that I found on Teachers Pay Teachers:

• Mine! - These are fully editable and include options for individual and group data. The "Notes" box is also big enough for 1 x 2.62" labels (see Amazon link at this bottom of this post).
• Speaking Freely - Fully editable data sheet with a key for different types of prompting.
• Kate Shepard - The data sheet separates goals.
• Nicole Allison - An excel document with boxes to track progress.
• The Speech Bubble - This is a graph template. Great visual to share with parents!
• Click here for many more options.

{2} Daily Sheets
Natalie Snyders wrote a blog post about how she uses ONE sheet of paper for a whole day of students.

Tip: I like to create my data sheets in PowerPoint. I copy my students goals/information onto the data sheet, and it is super easy to copy and paste slides to make multiple data sheets. Excel would also work. Microsoft Word is a little trickier; I always seem to have a hard time getting the spacing to stay the same when I copy and paste.


I use mailing labels for my larger groups and in-class interventions. This way I can take data for multiple students without having to flip to each student's individual data sheet. At the end of the session, I just stick the label on their individual data sheet. Super easy and such a time saver!

I wasn't the only one with this idea! Rachel from Queen's Speech wrote an amazing blog post on how she uses labels for data tracking. Nicole from Speech Peeps also talks about how she uses labels to track RTI data in this blog post. Both posts include free templates!

I also use labels to log parent communication. I'm going to write a blog post about that very soon!


{1} Google Drive
I just wrote a detailed post about this (including a video tutorial). Check it out here.

{2} Excel Spreadsheet
This could look really similar to what I showed you in Google Drive. With this option, it might be harder to collaborate with other SLP's/educators and you wouldn't be able to take data on the go (e.g., using a Google Form or a QR code). However, it is more secure and you don't have to rely on Internet connectivity.

{3} Word Document
I know some of my friends type in their data on the computer. You could use my Data Sheets on TPT to do this. I haven't tried it, but they say it's easy to be able to copy and paste for billing purposes. Word might also be more user-friendly if you're not a tech addict.

{4} Apps
Super Duper has a data tracking app. You can take individual and group data. It also has a graphing feature.


{1} Binder - I love my data binder! I use dividers to separate students by day. I use it to store my attendance logs, data sheets, and progress monitoring sheets. I also keep a sheet with all of my students' goals and a sheet with their QR codes. Check out the video below for a closer look.

{2} File Folders - I started the year using file folders (one for each student). It was nice because I could grab all the folders for one day and put them by my therapy table. It was rewarding to be able see the pile shrink as the day went on. I also picked out a bunch of activities for each student, and I had plenty of room. This would be trickier with a binder.

Personally, I found that it was easier to keep my data sheets in one place (a binder). It wasn't streamlined enough for me.

{3} Electronic - Yay! We touched on this already!


{1} Don't be afraid to mix and match. I use a different system for preschool than I do for my older students. Therapy looks a lot different in both of those settings, so I picked a data collection tool that would help me track progress as effectively as possible.

{2} Use keys! Develop a key for things that you end up writing a lot (e.g., types of cueing, anyone??). It might be helpful to include on your data sheet. This will keep you consistent and allow anyone else looking at your data sheet to decipher it (or at least attempt to)!

{3} Think ahead. When you're writing the IEP in the first place, think about how you are going to measure progress. Do you want to use percentages, trials, a rating scale, a checklist, or a combination? When you are setting up your data sheets, what information are you always scrambling to find when you're updating an IEP or writing progress reports? Whew, that is a whole blog post in itself.

{4} Make a system! Systems are a great way to stay organized. I spent a lot of time carefully putting together my binders in a way that would make them easy to use. I schedule more formal progress monitoring strategically. We are far too busy to spend time shuffling through papers trying to find what we need, so make a system that works for you!

Here is a peek at how I organize my data binders. (This was originally posted on Periscope. I promise I'm not talking to myself. I was responding to people's comments. ;))



So tell me, what do you do for data collection? Do you love it or hate it? Do you think you might try any of these?

P.S. We don't have to be all about data 100% of the time. Nicole Allison wrote an amazing blog post on this topic. It's OK to put the data binder away from time to time and really be present with our students.

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive some compensation from Amazon.